Rope ladder



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM P. BUOKLEY, OF OXFORD, NEW YORK.

ROPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 590,475, dated September 21, 1897'.

Appnaion nea April 17,7189?.

To @ZZ whom it nifty concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAn P. BUCKLEY, of Oxford, in the county of Ohenango and State of New York, have invented a new and Im proved Rope Ladder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in rope ladders designed for use particularly as nre-escapes.

It consists in certain improvements in the construction of the ladder as well as in the means adopted by which it is held away from a wall when in use.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all lthe figures.

Figure l is an elevation of a section of a building, showing my ladder applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail on a larger scale showing the method of attaching an eye in the upper end of the ladder and applying the same to a hook. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, in partial section, of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail, partially in section, of one of the rungs of the ladder. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective showing the construction of the hook which is to be used in connection with my device for attachment to a window-sill or other convenient portion of the building, and Fig'. 6 is a view showing the manner in which the ladder may be freed from its supporting-hookby a person on the ground. v

My ladder is designed to be used as a fireescape both in a permanent form, where it is attached to or made a part of the building, and in a portable form, designed to be carried by travelers and attachable to any building.

It consists, essentially, of the two side ropes or cords A, which are connected at frequent intervals by rungs B. These rungs are made of an outer cylinder B', which may be of metal or wood and is hollow or perforated from end to end.

In the central hollow of this cylinder is placed a bolt C, which is provided with a nut o upon one or both ends. This bolt passes through each of the strands A of the ladder. Upon each side of the rope and surrounding the bolt O are placed washers D. These washers are curved to a semicircular shape, so as to iit closely about the rope. Outside Serial No. 632,580. (No model.)

the washers D are the nuts placed upon the bolt. The bolt may be 4constructed with a fixed head upon one end and a nut upon the opposite end or with two nuts, one upon each end.

The cylinder B is placed between the strands of the rope and serves as a spacer to hold the two strands separated at the proper distance and as a rung in the ladder. The bolt O after being placed in position is tightened up so as to bind the two strands together.

Placed at frequent intervals on the rope is a series of blocks of Wood E, which are secured to the stra-ndsby any convenient means. In the drawings, I have shown them secured by staples e.Y These blocks will be placed at such distances apart and in such number as may be necessary, their purpose being to hold the ladder away from the building. VIn Fig. l these blocks are shown as being applied corresponding to every other story in the building. They may be placed closer than this, if necessary.

At the upper end the two strands of rope are brought together and secured by a bolt F, which passes through the strands in the same manner as the bolt C and is provided with similar washers D. This bolt binds the. two sections of the rope together and is placed close to the thimble G, which is simplya perforated ring having a groove in its periphery adapted to receive one or more coils of the rope. This thimble is preferably provided with two coils of the rope, as the same will hold better than a single coil. This thimble may be placed over a hook which is attached permanently to the building. One form of such hook is shown at I'I, and consists of a bar secured in any convenient manner to the building and dropping downward in a curve so as to form a hook.

This ladder may be made of any size required. Where it is provided in the building and made a permanent fixture, the strands will be made of some little size and the hook for supporting it will be permanently attached to the building alongside of the windows. Where it is intended for transportation by travelers, it will be made smaller and will also be provided with a hook, such as shown in Fig. 5. This hook I consists of a rod bent upon itself in the middle and then in its ICO l I I double form bent into an S shape, the two ends I' being sharpened so as to readily engage the window-sill or any convenient portion of the building. The opposite end I2 is designed to receive the eye or thimble placed in the upper end of the ladder. This may be applied to the building in any convenient manner. For such purposes as these the ladder may be made of very small cord and yet of sufficient strength to support two or three persons. It would also be made with comparatively short run gs to make the weight lighter.

The concave washers D used in securing the rungs to the ladder hold the strands of the cord securely and thus prevent the rungs slipping in the cord. Vere they not held by such a device the run gs would slip in the cord and render the device dangerous to use. These washers and the clampingbolt, 'as shown, thoroughly bind the parts together, so that there will be no slipping. This contributes materially to the successful operation of the device.

After having been used the ladder may be detached from its supporting-hook by anyone on the ground by giving the ladder a quick side motion and back, which will cause a wave to travel up the ladder and result in throwing the eye G off of its supporting-hook. The ladder need not be left to be destroyed, but may thus be removed after serving its purpose. Thisaction is illustrated in Fig. 6.

Although I have amplified upon the use of my ladder as a fire-escape it is evident that it may be used for many other purposes. It would be as useful for firemen to go up by as for others to come down by.

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenty l. A rung for a rope ladder, consisting of a tube', a bolt passing therethrough and through the rope, and concaved washers placed about said bolt and next to the rope and on each side thereof, substantially as described.

2. A rope ladder, having at one end aneye or thimble about which the rope is passed, a

4. A rope ladder, having at one end an eye or thimble about which the rope is passed, a bolt for securing the two sides of the rope close to -the thimble, rungs connecting the two sides at intervals, consisting of a tube placed between the two sides of the rope, a bolt passing therethrough and through the ropes, and concaved washers about the bolt and on each side of the ropes, substantially as described.

VILLIAM P. BUCKLEY.

Witnesses CHARLES E. SrRATroN, .OHAs W. BROWN. 

